AS MUCH AS building houses is actually fun and rewarding, going on a supply run with three of my Bonds is exactly what I need right about now.
I’d slept in Nox’s room, and even though I’d gotten in a solid eight hours of sleep, I’d woken up feeling as though a truck had backed over my decaying corpse, so I chalk it up to an uncomfortable atmosphere and get to training with Gryphon when he comes for me.
An hour later, North arrives, not yet in his suit, to tell us about the water contamination issue. It’s a little concerning because I’d showered and already drunk a coffee brewed with that water but as far as Sawyer can tell, the contamination happened between six and seven in the morning, so I should be safe.
North and Gryphon still drag me to Felix for a check up, just to be sure. I point out that Gryphon also drank the coffee, but neither of them give a shit about that. Felix, who was asleep when we showed up to the house he’s sharing with his Bond Group, Sawyer, and Grey, slaps a very gentle but tired hand over mine for half a second before declaring me fine and stomps back to bed, still wearing nothing but a pair of haphazardly shoved on boxer shorts.
Sage pokes her head out of the room but when I tell her I’m fine, she stumbles back to bed without a word, still half asleep and not coherent enough yet to form words.
I chew North and Gryphon both out using our mind connection as we leave, but neither of them seem to care.
“Someone who knows our morning routines did it. They know that you’re an early riser,” North says, pulling his sweater off and shoving it over my head. It’s still warm enough, even in my gym gear of a tank top and a pair of shorts, but Gryphon helps him to straighten it over me until I’m covered to my knees.
I don’t get why he’s trying to cover me up until I see the hordes of workmen walking along in the opposite direction, all of them waving or tipping their heads respectfully at North, who I’m sure is absolutely thrilled to be wearing nothing but sweatpants right now.
Gryphon shakes his head slowly, grabbing my hand when I lose my balance a little on some loose gravel. “It was a test. The Resistance don’t actually want Oli dead. They want to know how secure this place is and what we have in the way of failsafes. They’ll be watching our reactions to things and how we pivot when they attack, even on smaller scales like this.”
I scoff at them. “Well, they’ve learned that you both panic and find me a Healer, and if they want me alive, then they’ll be extra pleased about that.”
Gryphon shrugs again, refusing to let go of my hand as he directs me up the path to our house and says, “This is the one time I’m fine with doing exactly what those assholes want. Safety above ego, always.”
I nod and wait for North to get the door open, stumbling over my feet into the house and trying not to get frustrated at the fact that Gabe leaves his shoes at the door. North doesn’t give out the same courtesy and curses under his breath, striding off to snap at him and wake my poor Bond up.
Living in such close quarters is harder than any of us thought, and there are a lot of alpha males in one spot here.
“Stop worrying about it. It’s not your problem to deal with, and they’ve had years to figure out a friendship that you have no responsibility over,” Gryphon murmurs, directing me over to the breakfast bar in the kitchen and helping me up onto the stool.
I nod and tuck my arms around myself, taking a deep and calming breath of North’s scent on the sweater before propping my chin up on my fist as I watch Gryphon move around the kitchen. He’s still wearing his gym gear and I get to enjoy the flexing of his arms and shoulders in his harshly cut out tank top. I barely notice that he’s getting out frying pans and all of the fixings for scrambled eggs and bacon. It’s only when he slides the plate across to me, that I realize he’s made us both breakfast.
I stare down at it for a second and then back up to where he’s shaking his head at me. “I’m not the chef, but I can make eggs. I worked in the cafe with Kyrie for a few years during college, they’ll be edible at the very least.”
I blush a little and grab the knife and fork he’s also slid across the counter to me. “I’m sure they’re delicious. I was more shocked that we have the food. I thought we weren’t at the rationing stage yet?”
He shrugs and digs in to his own plate. “We’re not. I grabbed them when I had to go into the Council offices. There’s occasionally perks to dealing with the Resistance assholes we bring back here.”
I nod and eat along with him, impressed as hell that he not only cooked them to the perfect consistency but he seasoned them well too. They’re freaking great eggs.
“I didn’t think we got any prisoners? I thought my bond took the entire camp out.”
He nods, his mouth full, and waits until he’s swallowed before replying, “It did. These were those we’d grabbed and transported out before you joined the fight. We got a handful, a few higher ranking Gifted so that was helpful.”
I nod and North stalks through the kitchen, his hair still a little sleep rumpled where he hasn’t bothered fixing it too much, but his suit makes him look far more like himself. He nods at Gryphon and then swoops down to give me a kiss, snapping his fingers at August who appears at my side obediently. The change in their relationship has been dramatic since I spoke with his bond. I’ve noticed that even when August returns to him, North will mostly leave him out to guard whatever space he is in.
It makes me fall for him just a little more every time I see it.
“Stay with one of the Bonds at all times today until we get this under control.”
I nod, because I was already planning on it, and let him kiss me again as his hand cradles the back of my head possessively. When he straightens, he shares one last look with Gryphon and then he’s gone, out the door and dealing with the newest crisis here.
I get back to my plate of delicious eggs and to the conversation with Gryphon. There’s too much I want to know about the happenings of the Resistance. “Have you gotten anything useful from the people you took back yet? Did Atlas know anyone?”
He nods and scrapes the last of his eggs onto his fork, still standing in the kitchen like he can’t even take the time to sit down. Thanks to North crashing our training session, we’re over an hour earlier than we usually are, but he’s moving like he’s halfway out the door already.
Before he answers my questions, he cocks his head as his eyes flash, his gift reaching out to check where Atlas is. When he finds him sleeping away, he murmurs to me, “Bassinger’s sister is a mess. I’ve spent two days sifting through her memories, but the inside of her head is like looking in one of those mirrors at a sideshow. The world through her eyes is distorted and misshapen. Growing up in Resistance propaganda and then having four Bonds with the same opinions? She’s… a mess. She’s also being abused by most of her Bonded, physical and mental abuse. That isn’t uncommon in the families from the East Coast Gifted community, but the fact that her parents both know about it and do nothing for her is fucking disgusting.”
My heart breaks a little more for Atlas, the stuff he didn’t want to have to tell me but that he was willing to if it meant I’d believe him. It feels a little bit wrong to be talking about it with Gryphon, but he’s also my Bonded and I know this is weighing on him too. Everything he has to see and experience in his work as a TacTeam leader, it’s a heavy load to carry.
Isn’t it exactly my job to help lighten the load?
“I wouldn’t ask you to, Bonded. I would never put too much of this shit on you, your own burdens are heavy enough. I’m heading into North’s offices to sort out what we’re doing about the water issue. You just get on with your day the same way you would normally. Just keep Bassinger and Gabe with you at all times, okay?”
I nod and grab his plate, hip bumping him out of the way as I load them and the other dishes into the dishwasher. He kisses me soundly and heads off to get dressed for the day, and I enjoy the view of his ass in those shorts the whole damn way.
I almost forget and climb into the shower when Gryphon leaves, but instead I text Sage and apologize about the rude early morning wake up. She gets back to me straight away, calling me to say that she’s totally fine about it because she’s the best and we spend a good hour on the phone.
Mostly gossiping about Bonds, which is annoyingly fun.
When we get to the fun shit, I break Sage’s poor brain with my own little updates, and it’s the funniest freaking thing. “Both of them at the same time?! Oleander Fallows! That feels… scandalous. And they were just…fine with that?”
I snort and prop the phone up on my shoulder. “Well, it’s not like I suggested it! I was more… convinced that it was a good idea. Listen, once the Bonded ones start having creative ideas, you’re going to be swept up into crazy shit that no one warns you about. We might need other friends in Bonded Groups, just for, like, a heads up for this shit. It’s not like we can just ask your parents—”
She makes a gagging noise and cuts me off with a squeal. “Shut your mouth right now! I do not want to think about my parents in an orgy. Fuck, I could vomit. Why would you even say that? They’ve only done it twice, just for me and Sawyer. That’s it! Gross.”
I hear Sawyer’s dramatics in the background, cussing her out for so much as talking about something so gross, and I cackle at them both. They’re such typical siblings in a really normal family dynamic, now that her family isn’t being obnoxious to her about shit outside of her control, and it’s nice to just experience it vicariously through them both for a minute.
Sage clears her throat. “Okay, so now that I need my entire brain dipped in bleach, what is the plan for today’s incident? Are you going to help out with whatever they do about it?”
I flop back onto Gryphon’s bed, tucking my nose into his pillow a little bit just to get one last whiff of him before I get on with my day. “No news yet. There’s a meeting happening now about it, but I’ve just been told to stick with Gabe and Atlas today.”
Sage hums down the line. “Kieran said the same to me. He wants me with someone in this house at all times.”
I could make a joke about possessive, overprotective Bonds, but there’s a knock at the door and then Atlas’ head is poking through. “Shore called, we’re heading out of the Sanctuary on a run. You’re coming with… as long as you want to.”
Hell yeah I do. “Gotta go, Sage. I’ll call you when I get home.”
I bounce off of the bed and straight into Atlas’ arms. He looks tired, he has since we got back from the camps with his sister in our custody, but he grins down at me.
“I don’t think your bond is going to be needed much today. I hope you’re not bounding around because you think it’s going to be… fed.”
I snort at his teasing, because I already know he’s not actually serious, and shrug. “You never know, one of the Tac personnel could piss me off and end up as lunch.”
He chuckles at me as we get to the front door together, pulling on shoes and grabbing jackets. “I know which ones I’m voting for. Rockelle is a fucking dickhead and deserves his soul to be gobbled up.”
I shrug with a smirk, but I already know that he’s one of Gryphon’s closest friends and trusted personnel, so even with his smart mouth and irreverent jokes, he’s safe for now.
We don’t have enough trusted people in our circle as it is. I can’t take out the few we do have.
We make our way over to North’s offices, but the crowds of Tac operatives are waiting outside, already dressed and fully armed. There’s no way I’m going to be allowed to go out in the jeans and sweater I’m currently wearing, but I guess there’s no way to get used to the gear unless you wear it.
I just feel like some sort of fraud when I’m in it, like a civilian pretending to be a superhero.
Kieran spots us both coming and snaps at the stragglers of the group to get out of our way until we can make it into the building. There’s only a handful of people waiting around in the foyer, all of them the higher-up operatives, and I get the feeling they’re waiting on my Bonded so we can head out.
We stop when we get to Kieran, happy to wait with him for now. He’s looking good, about a million times better than when we were rescued from the camps, and I have to fight to keep the smirk off of my face.
I can’t help but comment about it, messing around a little with him because I feel like we’re practically family now that he’s watched me get carved up by the most terrifying man in the world. “Bonded life treating you well?”
He raises an eyebrow at me, his face completely straight as he says, “About as well as Gryphon’s new cologne is faring for him, yes.”
It takes me a second to get what he’s saying, and then I want to die a little. Scratch that, I want to die a whole lot.
I groan and bury my face into my hands as though I can disappear if no one can make eye contact with me anymore. “I’m going to murder him, right after I find a nice hole to die in.”
Kieran shrugs at me and eyes the murderous look that Atlas gives him for so much as mentioning something that embarrasses me, though he doesn’t really have a clue as to why I’m dying. Thank God, because Kieran knowing is bad enough.
Freaking Bonded.
When the elevator chimes and opens up to reveal North and Gryphon, I turn my back on the asshole and cross my arms, in full shameful pout mode and giving zero fucks about it. August bounds over and sits at my feet, looking up at me with his perfect void eyes as though he can tell I’m ready to stab someone.
“You’re in deep shit,” Kieran drawls and Gryphon scowls back at him, striding over to me like he can fix this, but I’m already so freaking embarrassed that I don’t want to discuss it anymore. It was hot as fuck at the time but now, standing around here thinking about it? No, thanks.
Kill me.
“Something about cologne,” Atlas snarks, grabbing my hand tugging me away from them both, “Come on, Sweetness. We’ll go get changed so that we can get out of here.”
We turn our back on them as North snarls at Gryphon in a very non-Draven way. Nope, I glance back just to check that his bond hasn’t burst out of him in the middle of the freaking foyer, but I just find both of my Bonded squaring off about me.
Atlas drags me into one of the gear rooms, joining me in the women’s area once he’s grabbed his own stuff, and then he flicks the lock so we won’t get anyone walking in on us. I’m still too far in my own head to give a shit about changing together and when I pull my sweater and shirt off, he doesn’t bat an eye, just gets to changing as well.
My scent, all over Gryphon while he went about his day.
I blink back into myself, coming face-to-bare-chest with Atlas and, man, is it a good sight. I’m not sure if his gift makes him extra cut or if he’s kept up a brutal training regime without me knowing, but he is cut. Like, professional bodybuilder levels of cut, and the delicious looking V that draws my eyes down to the top of his jeans looks incredibly inviting.
I clear my throat, mostly to attempt to find my voice, but it gets his attention. Atlas mistakes my nervous actions for me stressing over Gryphon and shakes his head at me. “I know enough to make a guess about it, Sweetness. Don’t try to explain it. I already want to tear his arms off and shove them up his ass for having everything I want. I don’t need any more details.”
I blush again and duck my head as I nod. “I don’t think—I don’t feel any stronger. I think maybe you were right.”
His eyebrows shoot up and I bite at my lip, unbuttoning my jeans and watching as he swallows, his eyes dropping down to follow their path down my legs. I’m wearing a simple black thong, nothing flashy or anything, but it might as well be crotchless, lacy lingerie for how he reacts to the sight of me. His legs buckle a little and he takes a step forward, taking a deep breath and groaning softly like he’s been wounded.
I could fuck him right here. Bond with him and take him for my own. Shit, is this really me thinking this?! Not my horny bond? Nope, it’s me practically dripping for him in a very inopportune moment.
His eyes flare and flash white for a second, returning to the clear green in an instant as he reins himself in. “Don’t tease, Sweetness. Not when there’s a whole fucking horde of Tac operatives out there listening, because I’ll do a helluva lot worse than Shore ever did. Fuck, the thought of them all out there listening to me Bond with you, it’s too tempting.”
My voice is barely more than a rasp as I reply, “I’m sorry. I’m not thinking straight. I just—I think North would kick the door in and murder you anyway.”
He nods and steps back again, his movements jerkier, like he’s really struggling to let this heated moment pass. I am too, no matter where we are or how many people are waiting on us to get ready.
I scramble around in the locker that was put aside for me, swiping my card to get through the security to open the damn thing. I grab my Tac gear and start pulling it on. The pants hang a little looser on me now that I’m back at training and spending less time eating creamy seafood sauces on my ass in North’s bed.
Once I’m dressed and ready, I move to the door, only to have Atlas stop me, gently grabbing my upper arm to tug me back into his body. I go to him easily, lifting up onto my toes to kiss him back when he ducks down to meet my lips.
He kisses me like a vow of what’s to come for us, a branding promise that I can’t wait to fulfill.
When we walk back out of the changing rooms together, I meet North’s eye across the room and he gives me a nod before he speaks to all of the team leaders there, briefing them on what we’re doing today.
“We’re after water, mostly, and there have been some other requests that we said we’d look into. Mostly comfort items, but there’s also some ‘scripts we need to fill. Felix has been busy doing diagnostics and basic healing that a simple ‘script could take off of his plate.”
He continues through the protocol and I nod along, all of it the same stock-standard stuff we followed last time. I’m not surprised that we’re going after things to help Felix out. Every time I’ve seen the Healer, other than this morning’s early wake up, he’s been run off of his feet and haggard looking. Sage has also been super worried about how much he’s working, but the other Healers have refused to work without pay, even though they’re being housed and fed for free, so everything is currently landing on his shoulders.
North is going to end up killing someone and making an example of them for sure. Well, actually, he wouldn’t, but I for sure will because there’s nothing quite like rich men being on their high horses about unimportant things while there’s an actual crisis going on.
Typical Top Tier bullshit.
